Two Australian Soldiers Wounded in Afghanistan

Two Australian Soldiers Wounded in Afghanistan

Two Australian soldiers, one from Mentoring Task Force – Three, and one from Mentoring Task Force – Four, were wounded in action yesterday (Friday, 13 January 2012) when the Protected Mobility Vehicle (Bushmaster) they were travelling in was struck by the detonation of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Uruzgan province.

The incident occurred a few kilometres south of Multi-National Base – Tarin Kot during a troop transfer between locations.

Acting Deputy Commander Joint Operations Commodore Michael Noonan said the response to the IED detonation by the soldiers in the convoy highlighted the effectiveness of Mentoring Task Force – Four’s preparation for their deployment.

“As soon as the device detonated, the area was secured and first aid commenced on the two wounded,” Commodore Noonan said.

“A medical evacuation was quickly organised and the two men are now resting comfortably in a satisfactory condition in Tarin Kot.”

The wounded soldiers were promptly evacuated by helicopter to the Role 2 Medical Facility at Multi-National Base – Tarin Kot.

The soldiers suffered minor wounds in the IED detonation and are assessed as being in a satisfactory medical condition.

Defence’s immediate priority is to provide support to the families of the wounded soldiers and no further information will be made available at this time.

218 ADF personnel have been wounded in Afghanistan since 2001. Five ADF personnel have been wounded this year.

ENDS

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